MUSIC REVIEW: Gangs Of Wasseypur 2

Despite the occasional excesses, Gangs Of Wasseypur (GOW) remains one of the most exciting soundtracks of the year. Regardless of the extreme reactions to the film, tracks like Womaniya and Hunter have become mini-cults. And that’s the reason one gets curious about what more lies in store, for this two-part revenge saga by Anurag Kashyap.

The theme track of GOW, Keh Ke Loonga gets a techno-spin and is rechristened KKL in the sequel. If the prequel’s version was slow and intense, then this one is an adrenalin trip. Sneha Kanwalkar brings out all her sound-tripping skills, and plays around with the electronic loops. But in all fairness, while it starts out as a novel listen, by the end of it, one misses the depth and eerie mood of the prequel’s version.

Electric Piya (in two-versions) is a peppy fusion of Bhojpuri folk and modern beats. While the tune is catchy and fun in the Tain Tain (GOW) zone, the lyrics are a hilarious riot. It follows the Hunter (GOW) formula of naughty references without getting explicit. The song is pacy, energetic and spontaneously sung by Rasika D Rani. Sneha goes ballistic with her electronic hooks and loops, but it all beautifully complements the energy of the song. There is not much to differentiate between the two versions, save for a few instruments, but both are equally enjoyable, given the strong tune.

Bahut Khoob is essentially a rap, sung in chorus by a bunch of kids, backed by electronic beats. There is no tune as such, and the song seems like a background music-piece. The lyrics convey a lot underlying rage within them, but on the whole it is a situational number, designed in context of the plot. Perpendicular is another character-driven, instrumental piece. The sounds used here, give the impression of a marriage-party band.

Moora is a bitter-sweet melody that echoes the naughty relationship we saw between Huma Qureshi and Nawazuddin Siddiqui in the first part. The tune is rustic, but arrangements are modern. And this fusion of earthy and electronic, along with the Hinglish wordplay which is now synonymous with this franchise, blends well in this track. Moora appears in two versions, among which Sneha’s take is a little unplugged, while Deepika Kumar’s is a straight-forward mix of vocals and beats. What works best for the song is the laid-back mood that is dreamy and romantic and a welcome break from all the explosion of sounds in the other songs.

If Piyush Mishra mesmerized with Ik Bagal in the prequel, here he takes an about-turn with a peppy, satirical qawwali called Aabroo. With company from Bhupesh Singh (of GOW's Bhoos fame), this song does not quite end with the bang it opens with – But it is nevertheless, true to the black humour of the film.

The rural-folksy sound that was prevalent in some of the lesser heard songs of GOW, continues in Taar Bijli. A naughty, sangeet number sung in authentic, rustic style by Padmashree Sharda Sinha, it is a melodious listen. In many ways it is the folk sibling of Electric Piya with a similar lyrical style. Tunya is another instrumental music-piece that is a modern take on the sound of a Bulbul Tarang.

Sneha’s Kala-Rey is a dark and intense song, with heavy instruments and vocals. But despite the slow tempo, the melody has a nice groove to it. Especially the Very Coal Coal…portions of the song, which are genuinely very cool.

Chi Cha Leather is the song that has been playing on music-channels. Not surprising considering it is the most fast-paced and lively track of the album. Sung by a vocalist named Durga who has a distinctly husky voice, it packs in quirky Hinglish lyrics and an irresistibly foot-tapping beat that is vibrant and lively. The song is a quintessential Sneha trip, right from the word go. But thankfully the instruments never overpower the tune.

To be fair, Gangs Of Wasseypur-2 is comparatively, a far more accessible album than its prequel - And the melodies start registering after a couple of listens. Unlike the prequel which had a few sure-shot blockbuster tracks, but was largely a compilation of situational tunes that made no-impact, minus the film, GOW-2’s songs have a life of their own.

Perhaps it is due to the fact that while revenge was the overbearing emotion in GOW, the music of GOW-2 has a lot of romance. GOW-2 may not have the boldness of GOW, but scratch beneath the surface, and one notices that it packs in a stronger punch.